


Goodbye

by Enonem



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode V: Empire Strikes Back
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Grief/Mourning, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-29
Updated: 2016-03-29
Packaged: 2018-05-29 23:48:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6399160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enonem/pseuds/Enonem
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Piett's thoughts after Needa's summary execution. Rated T just to be on the safe side. Written for tumblr prompt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Goodbye

Piett focused all his thought on his steps. His legs seemed to weigh three times as much as usual, but he forced them into the brisk walk of a busy officer, making sure to avoid both a flight and the slow, shuffling step of someone who is about to fall apart.

He found a hidden corner of corridor moments before his knees gave way. He stumbled against the wall and pressed his forehead to the cold durasteel.

Needa was dead. The soft sound of his body hitting the floor was still ringing in Piett’s ears. The man had, unbidden, walked up to Lord Vader and fucking _apologised_. He surprised everyone dumb. Now he was dead.

“You stupid bastard,” Piett muttered to himself.

He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. Needa had done the right thing, of course. Honesty and responsibility. That was what Needa had believed in. Piett too, somewhere, still held those values. It was what had brought them together, after all. All those years ago.

For a moment he indulged himself with a quick dive into the bittersweet memories.

They had been young, the war had not had much time to break them yet (though, perhaps, Piett had had a few more mental scars, even then). They had still been holding on to some dreams of honour and glory. It had been a good time for romance.

Then time had done what it does best and pulled them apart. Love turned to casual friendship and Piett saw his own values get tangled up with cynicism and ambition.

But Needa, ever the better man, had maintained those ideals to the end.

And they had killed him.

And Piett had watched and done nothing.

And now he was here, hidden away in his own ship, biting back tears for… for whom? A friend would have been bad enough. A former lover, terrible. But there had been that message a few days before. Formal congratulations on Pietts’ promotion on the surface. Underneath, a proposition to give it another try. One more night together and then see where things went from there.

In tones just as veiled, Piett had said no.

But, just before Needa walked up to his death and stood on attention in front of it, they had grabbed what little chance they had to remedy that mistake.

An entreaty that had died in Piett’s throat. A hint of a smile. A brushing of hands that was a poor substitute for a kiss, but all they could do at the time.

They had said goodbye, after a fashion.

It was not enough, but it would have to be.


End file.
